How to Prepare Your Pets for an Emergency in an Apartment

Being prepared for your pets is something that can be easy to overlook. If you're already trying to build up food, water and emergency supplies for yourself on a limited budget, it can feel like one more expense you can't afford. But just like the rest of preparedness, I don't think you need to buy everything at once. I started simple by putting away a little extra cat food whenever I was already buying it. A couple of extra cans here or an extra bag of dry food there can slowly turn into a backup supply without breaking the bank.

I have four cats, so food can add up pretty quickly. Lately I've also been paying more attention to value instead of just the price on the bag. I used to buy smaller 8-pound bags of dry food because they were easier to put away, but when I actually compared the price per pound, I realized I was paying quite a bit more than I would for a larger 16-pound bag. If you have the room and know your pets will eat it before it gets too old, buying a larger size can sometimes save money.

Store What Your Pets Already Eat

Just like with emergency food for people, I think it makes sense to stock food your pets already eat instead of buying some special emergency product they've never had before. That makes rotation much easier too. Use the older food first and replace it with newer food as you buy it.

I've seen people transfer dry pet food into food-grade storage containers, but I usually keep mine in the original bag. That way I still have the expiration date, feeding information and product information with it. I can then put the bag on a closet shelf or inside a dedicated storage tote to keep everything together and protected.

Every once in a while it's worth going through the pet food just like the rest of your pantry. Check dates, move older food forward and make sure you haven't forgotten about a bag somewhere in the back of a closet.

Have Backup Food, but Know the Limitations

I also keep tuna around as part of my regular food supply. In a true emergency where I completely ran out of cat food, it's something both I and the cats could eat for a short period.

I wouldn't consider human canned tuna a replacement for regular cat food, though. Cats need a nutritionally complete diet, and tuna meant for people doesn't provide everything they need long term. Some canned tuna can also contain quite a bit of sodium. I look at it more as an emergency backup than something I'd intentionally plan to feed them for days or weeks.

That is another reason I'd rather slowly store extra regular cat food now than depend on improvising later.

Think About Water for Your Pets Too

When you're figuring out how much emergency water to store, don't forget to include your animals. Four cats might not look like they use much water compared with people, but over several days it still adds up.

This is one of those things that's easy to miss when you're calculating supplies. You might think you have enough drinking water for the people in your apartment, but then you also need water for pets, cooking, hygiene and possibly cleaning.

If you're already storing water, you don't necessarily need a completely separate system for pets. Just make sure they're included when you're deciding how much is enough.

Have a Carrier for Every Animal

Food and water are only part of pet preparedness. You also need a way to actually move your animals if you have to leave.

This is something I'm still working on myself. With four cats and no car, evacuating all of them would be a challenge. Ideally, I'd like to have a carrier available for each cat so I don't have to figure it out during an emergency.

I'm also looking at backpack-style carriers. Since I normally get around by bicycle, something I can wear or carry more easily may work better for me than trying to handle several traditional plastic carriers at once. I'm still figuring out what the best setup would be, and obviously most people with a car will have more options than I do.

Whatever your situation is, think it through before you actually need to leave. If you have two cats, do you have two carriers? If you have a large dog, how would you control and transport it? Where are the carriers stored? Can you get to them quickly?

Think Through the Evacuation Before It Happens

If you really had to leave your apartment, you probably wouldn't just be carrying your pets. You might also have your bug-out bag, water, important documents and other supplies.

That's why I think making a basic plan matters as much as buying gear. I need to think about how I'm realistically going to move four cats along with whatever I'm carrying, especially without a car.

Even if you do own a vehicle, it's worth thinking through the same thing. How will you load the animals? Are the carriers easy to get to? Does everyone in the household know which pet they're responsible for? Do you have a leash or harness where you can find it?

You don't need some complicated written evacuation plan, but you don't want the first time you think about this to be while you're trying to get out the door.

Prepare for Staying Home Too

Not every emergency means evacuating. In many situations, you may be safer staying in your apartment, which means your pets need supplies for that too.

For cats, that means having some extra litter along with food and water. With a dog, think about what you would do if you temporarily couldn't take the dog outside. Having some potty pads put away can give you another option.

Waste is another thing people may not immediately think about. Trash bags, litter, cleaning supplies and paper towels can become pretty important when normal routines are disrupted.

Medications and Keeping Pets Calm

If your pet takes medication, that becomes another part of preparedness. Depending on the medication and what your veterinarian allows, it may be worth asking whether you can keep a small extra supply on hand rather than waiting until you're almost out.

It's also worth thinking about how your animal reacts to stress. Some cats hide as soon as they hear loud noises or strangers outside, which could make an evacuation much harder. Dogs can get anxious too. Knowing your animal's usual hiding places and having carriers where you can reach them can save a lot of time.

You might also keep a familiar blanket, towel or small toy with their carrier or pet supplies. Nothing is guaranteed to make an animal calm during an emergency, but familiar smells and items may help.

Keep Basic Pet Information With Your Emergency Supplies

Another simple thing you can do without spending much money is keep important information together. That could include a recent photo of each pet, vaccination records, veterinarian information, medication information and anything else someone would need if you became separated.

Most of us have hundreds of pictures of our pets on our phones, but I'd still want important information available even if my phone was dead, lost or inaccessible. A paper copy kept with important documents doesn't take up much room.

Build Their Supplies the Same Way You Build Yours

I don't think pet preparedness has to mean buying an expensive premade survival kit. Most of what your pet needs in an emergency is probably stuff you already use: food, water, litter, medication, a leash or carrier and basic cleaning supplies.

The easiest way I've found to build supplies is the same way I build the rest of my preparedness. Add a little at a time. Buy a couple extra cans of cat food. Put away an extra bag of dry food when you can afford it. Pick up another carrier if you need one. Add some litter, potty pads or other basics over time.

I'm still improving my own setup, especially figuring out how I'd evacuate four cats without a car. That's part of preparedness too. You don't have to have every problem solved before you start. The important thing is to recognize the problems now, while you have time to work on them.

Your pets depend on you for just about everything already. An emergency doesn't change that, so when you're putting together food, water and evacuation plans for your household, make sure the furry members of the household are included too.